Search results

(1 - 21 of 21)

Title

Kate Seibel

Institution

Morse Museum & Cultural Centre

Date Created

2008-05-06

Title

Chinese Cuisine on 20th Street: The History of Toon’s Kitchen

Description

An interview with Peter Wong, an owner of Toon’s Kitchen. Toon's Kitchen is a Chinese restaurant located on 20th Street in Saskatoon (the restaurant is co-owned by Mr. Wong along with two other business partners - Shan Chiu and Jun-Ho Lee). This interview is conducted in English and Chinese. Janet Chow (Jun-Ho Lee’s daughter) provides translation and actively participates in the interview. The discussion focuses on the history of Toon’s Kitchen, with Mr. Wong also sharing his thoughts on the current state of 20th Street and possible avenues for improvement of the neighbourhood. With 20th Street being the core street of Saskatoon’s Chinatown, the story of Toon’s Kitchen directly speaks to the history of the city's Chinese immigrants.

Date Created

2012-11-19

Title

St. Thomas Wesley United Church on 20th Street: Christian Ministry and Community Outreach

Description

An interview with Reverend Brian Ast. Rev. Ast discusses here his personal call to ministry, his involvement with the United Church, and the Church’s outreach work with the neighbourhood community. He discusses how his church and the neighbourhood have changed over time, what he enjoys about working on 20th Street, and how his church compares to other churches on the street. He also explains the unique nature of his congregation and the internal organization challenges with which his church staff have to manage. Rev. Ast addresses the challenges many residents of the neighbourhood have to contend with, and he offers suggestions as to how the needs of these people can be supported.

Date Created

2013-11-29

Title

Hope, Love, and Perseverance: Building Home and Finding Community on 20th Street

Description

At the time of this interview, David Fineday was 56 years old. From a Cree family, David learned early-on how to face and overcome various challenges, including physical abuse at an young age. When he was three, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and had to live away from his family for nearly two years. Fortunately, he was cured of the disease and was able to reunite with his family and home, only to be taken away to a residential school. Soon after returning home from the residential school, he left once again and lived homeless for many years. In his later years, David’s always positive nature and determination to get a firm grip on life led him to dedicate himself to helping others to overcome similar challenges. For David, every day is a chance to make someone feel better; this in turn makes him feel better as well. Mr. Fineday currently is one of the staff members at the Friendship Inn, a core neighbourhood community centre that serves people and families in need.

Date Created

2012-11-17

Title

I Respect Them, They Respect Me: Running the Pawn Shop on 20th Street

Description

An interview with Mr. Ivan Wong, operator of Money Express Pawnshop on 20th Street. Mr. Wong was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Saskatoon in the 1990s. In this interview, Mr. Wong reflects on his experiences of being an immigrant in Canada. He shares detailed stories of his diverse interactions with 20th Street residents, and offers insights into his own perception of the relationship between himself as a Chinese immigrant and the First Nation people living in the area. Mr. Wong’s experience during his ten years of employment at family-owned Money Express shop, located in what used to be known as Saskatoon’s Chinatown, has enabled him to develop what he calls a mutual affinity with his First Nations customers. He attributes these customers’ propensity for dealing with his pawnshop to the sense of mutual respect that exists between the business and the customers.

Date Created

2012-11-17

Title

The Street and the Sound: A Conversation with the Owner of Beaumont Film and Record

Description

An interview with Mr. Beaumont, the owner and proprietor of Beaumont Film and Record. Mr. Beaumont had originally opened up his store on 20th Street in Saskatoon in June of 2012, but relocated his business to another location in downtown Saskatoon a year later. This interview captures Beaumont’s experiences running a business on 20th Street. He discusses his background, the reasons to move his business off 20th Street, and offers his view of social change occurring both on 20th Street and in the city of Saskatoon in the 2010s. Mr. Beaumont also speak about his connections to the music scene and his “hipster” experiences.

Date Created

2013-12-02

Title

20th Street and Canada’s Leaders: The Honourable Roy Romanow on his Connections to 20th Street

Description

An interview with the Honourable Roy Romanow (Premier of Saskatchewan from 1991-2001, and former Canadian Commissioner of Health). Mr. Romanow shares his experiences growing up on the west side of Saskatoon in a family of Ukrainian immigrants, and the role his family played in his interest in politics. Throughout the interview he also reflects on his connections to 20th Street. Mr. Romanow describes the 20th Street of his youth as a multicultural neighbourhood with a vibrant atmosphere shared by many people of different cultures, including First Nations, Metis, Jewish, German, English, Chinese, Polish and Ukrainian groups. He recalls his participation as a young man in the life of the Ukrainian Canadian community, particularly his involvement in the Ukrainian National Federation Hall and St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. Mr. Romanow reflects on the impact this community engagement had on his work as a politician.

An interview with Derek Johnson, the manager at Saskatoon's Village Green Thrift Shop - Furniture and Appliances, who, at the time of the interview, had worked at the store for twelve years. This store is a part of a network of not-for-profit thrift shops which support local and global relief, development, and peace projects of the Mennonite Central Committee. Mr. Johnson discusses the history, organization, and operations of the store. He talks about the clientele of the furniture store (low-income groups, immigrants, students, antique hunters), and the overall Mennonite contribution to life on 20th Street. The interview touches on social problems of the inner city and their underlying causes, and speaks to the potential solutions to these problems. In addition, Mr. Johnson reflects on both positive and negative changes that have taken place around 20th Street over the period of his managerial career with Village Green Thrift Shop.

Date Created

2012-03-02

Title

Healthcare in a City Core Neighbourhood: The Case of 20th Street in Saskatoon

Description

An interview with Dr. Ryan Meili, who worked for ten years as a physician at the West Side Community Clinic on 20th Street. Dr. Meili reflects on his experiences travelling to different countries and what influenced his decision to become a doctor. He talks about his involvement in political life and, in particular, his association with the National Democratic Party (NDP). The interview addresses the existing social inequality in the city, and the perceived divide that splits Saskatoon into a ‘better off’ east vs a ‘worse off’ west. Dr. Meili offers his ideas on possible improvements towards health care in the city, and discusses the role of the program SWITCH (Student Wellness Initiative toward Community Health), which caters to the needs of the local community.

Date Created

2013-12-03

Title

The Mothers’ Centre and 20th Street: Reflections of a Staff Member

Description

Jane Villeneuve has been involved with Saskatoon’s Mothers’ Centre, located in the Station 20 West building on 20th Street, since the moment it opened. In this interview, Ms. Villeneuve explains the objectives of the Mothers’ Centre, and discusses how it operates. She speaks on how the Mothers’ Centre serves as a safe place for local women and their children to meet, while connecting and empowering each other through mutual support and shared goals. Ms. Villeneuve also talks about her own motivation to participate in the projects of the Mothers’ Centre, and reflects on existing racial tensions in the Riversdale neighbourhood and people's perceptions of 20th Street. Ms. Villeneuve explains the influence of location on the Mothers’ Centre, and tells about the centre’s future projects. This interview offers a glimpse into the work of a non-governmental organisation focusing on enhancing the lives of inner city communities on 20th Street in the 2010s.

Date Created

2013-12-04

Title

Reflecting on the History of the O & O Drive-in Ukrainian Restaurant: an Interview with Stephania Nahachewsky

Description

An interview with Stephania (Stella) Nahachewsky. Mrs. Nahachewsky and her husband owned O & O Drive-in, a family restaurant that operated on Saskatoon's 20th Street from 1962–1992. In the interview, Mrs. Nahachewsky revisits the history the restaurant – the initial period of building the diner and its reputation, years of its thriving, and the closure of the business following the death of her husband. Over its operating years, the restaurant earned the reputation of a popular Ukrainian dining destination and was known across Canada. Its history speaks to the ‘Ukrainian’ chapter in the history of 20th Street, and the Riversdale area in the post-World War Two period.

Date Created

2013-07-31

Title

Coming of Age on 20th Street: Kim Carriere

Description

An interview with Kim Carriere, in his mid to late twenties, a neighbourhood resident at the time of the interview. As a child, Mr. Carriere moved with his mother from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to the Riversdale area. He attended Pleasant Hill School and stayed in the area for approximately 10 years. Of Aboriginal origin, Mr. Carriere offers his insights into the community’s life, businesses and fellow residents, reflecting on eventual gentrification of this neighbourhood and his attitudes surrounding that process.

Date Created

2012-03-08

Title

Bringing Habitat for Humanity into the Neighbourhood: Keeping 20th Street a Positive Place

Description

An interview with the employees of Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon - Barb Cox-Lloyd (CEO of Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon) and Sharon Prediger (Director of Family Services at Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon). Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon is an organization that has a mission to mobilise volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting home ownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. In 2007, when this business moved into its current location at 101-320 21st Street West, the employees of Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon became closely aware of social problems on the west side of Saskatoon. The interviewees share what their first impressions were of the Riversdale neighbourhood, and how their opinions have changed over time. They talk about their experiences of working in the area of 20th Street and their attempts to work together to keep the neighbourhood a positive place. Speaking about the changes occurring in the Riversdale area, the interviewees share their own perceptions of the gentrification and revitalization of the area. Finally, the interviewees discuss how their business has impacted the community, in particular, how it contributed to revitalisation of the neighbourhood.

Date Created

2013-12-18

Title

Stories from the Street: The Informal Economy of the Inner City as Seen by a ‘Retired Smuggler’

Description

Born in rural Saskatchewan, Timothy Fraser Hampton moved to Saskatoon with his family at a young age. Since that time, Timothy’s life has been closely connected to 20th Street and its surrounding neighbourhoods. Timothy refers to himself as a retired ‘professional smuggler.’ His former occupation provided him with an in-depth exposure, and a unique perspective on the “informal economy” of both 20th Street specifically, and of Saskatoon in general. During the interview, Timothy reflects on both his youth and on his choice of profession. He expands by discussing particular incidents that took place on 20th Street in the 1980s, involving drug dealing, prostitution (in particular, “Pimp Wars”), violence, and other criminal activity. His views on what is right or wrong, and what is acceptable and what is not, may not be shared by all. A highly reflective, well-spoken and thoughtful individual with a sharp mind and a quick tongue, Mr. Hampton nowadays focuses on his family, and on his career as a musician and writer.

Date Created

2012-03-30

Title

The Realities of 20th Street: A Family Doctor's Perspective: A Family Doctor's Perspective

Description

An interview with Dr. Stephen Helliar, a family doctor who has worked on 20th Street in Saskatoon since August 11, 1988. Dr. Helliar primarily works with inner city residents, many of whom deal with chronic illnesses - particularly HIV, Hepatitis C, addictions and diabetes. Dr. Helliar reflects on how he became a family doctor and why he wanted to work in the Riversdale area. Dr. Helliar shares his perspective on the changes that have been taking place on 20th Street since the time he started working in the neighbourhood, and addresses the question of what issues need to be dealt with today.

Date Created

2012-03-21

Title

The Lessons of Life: Finding the Path towards a Better Future

Description

Angie Block, in her late thirties at the time of the interview, had lived most of her adult life in the neighbourhood of 20th Street in Saskatoon. In this interview, Ms. Block (not a real name) shares her life story detailing the relationships with her children, (most of whom are still in foster care), her ex-boyfriend, and her mother. At the time of the interview, Ms. Block was fighting her drug addiction and attending the Oasis program at the Saskatoon Community Clinic. She discusses in detail her steps on the way to full recovery, and shares her hopes to reach her ultimate goal – taking back custody of her children. Ms. Block, being a reflective individual, discusses her vision of different spaces on 20th Street, seeing some as good and others as bad, depending on her experiences of the place. For instance, she recollects with special affection both playing Bingo with her mother at the Bingo hall, as well as visits to Mel’s Café, whose owner reminds her of her mother. The interview ends with Ms. Block’s own reflections on the life lessons she has learned and her hopes for a positive future for her children.

Date Created

2012-04-11

Title

Catering to the Ukrainian Canadians on 20th Street: Karpatia Restaurant and Bazaar Kuzma's Store, as Remembered by Zennon Kuzma

Description

Mr. Zennon Kuzma’s life is well connected to the 20th Street area in Saskatoon, as his family owned and operated two businesses on 20th Street: Karpatia Restaurant and Bazaar Kuzma’s. In this interview, Mr. Kuzma reflects on his youth and upbringing, discusses the early formative stages of his professional life, recollects in detail the operations at the Karpatia restaurant, and shares the story of creation and development of the Ukrainian store – Bazaar Kuzma’s. The latter became a popular destination for many Ukrainian Canadians on the prairies, sustaining the connection between 20th Street, the Ukrainian Canadians of Saskatchewan, and Ukraine itself.

Date Created

2013-06-21

Title

The Mennonite Store on 20th Street: Village Green Thrift Shop as Remembered by a Longtime Volunteer

Description

An interview with a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer at the Village Green Thrift Shop. An eighty-one year old volunteer, Eunice Stobbe, shares her experiences of volunteering on 20th Street, discussing her role in the Mennonite clothing thrift store, while reflecting on the importance and meaning of volunteering in her own life. She offers here her views on the Mennonite charitable mission, and focuses on the contribution of the thrift store to the well-being of 20th Street. The discussion also touches upon changes that have taken place within the 20th Street/Riversdale area throughout the second half of the 20th century.

Date Created

2012-03-04

Title

Preserving Authenticity: The History of the Mandarin Restaurant on Saskatoon's 20th Street

Description

In this interview, the owner of Mandarin restaurant, Dr. Paul Lee, shares his personal experiences of operating a restaurant business in Riversdale from the early 1980s to the present. Dr. Lee discusses his perspective on how to make a restaurant attractive to its clientele, and why it is important to preserve the authentic feel in both food and the restaurant’s ambience. Focusing on the question of authenticity, this interview highlights the relationships between the owner, the restaurant, and the neighbourhood, and profiles how these relationships persist over time. As such, the interview sheds more light on the importance of Chinese culture(s) to the history of 20th Street.

William Somerset, a retired police officer, kindly agreed to share his story of serving as a police officer in Saskatoon, including the 20th Street area. Mr. Somerset shares his experiences of growing up on the west side of Saskatoon, just a few blocks away from 20th Street. He recalls what it was like to work in law enforcement in Riversdale and Pleasant Hill: dealing with drugs, alcoholism, and prostitution. Drawing on his work experience as a Saskatoon police officer, Mr. Somerset compares the 20th Street neighbourhood to other parts of Saskatoon. Mr. Somerset also discusses how the police were seen by various Saskatoon residents in different parts of the city. In conclusion, he offers his views regarding the changes happening on 20th Street, and its further development.

Date Created

2013-12-01

Title

Martial Arts in Saskatoon: Way of the Dragon Martial Arts

Description

An interview with Mr. David Mah, a professional wrestler who works as a martial arts instructor in Saskatoon. Mah presents his story of getting involved in martial arts, and discusses the different types of wrestling with which he has been interested. He talks about the kinds of wrestling taught at his school, Way of the Dragon Martial Arts, and discusses his approach to teaching martial arts. Mr. Mah also shares his experiences of growing up in an ethnically diverse family in Saskatoon, while he reflects on the Chinese culture, businesses, associations and celebrations that altogether defined 20th street as Saskatoon’s Chinatown.